Hello there,
I'm now in the Blue Mountains and have discovered more free internet access (courtesy of my friends at the local library). Haven't got much time so this will just be a short one for now:
Wednesday 28th February Continued
The flight to Sydney was delayed for 30 minutes because they had catered the wrong aeroplane. Whoops. Otherwise it was an uneventful flight (I sat next to two miserable middle-aged people who didn't speak a single word to me for the whole flight) with okay food (a pretty good traditional Kiwi pie*) but less good wine than on the flight from Perth to Auckland (an ordinary Australian Shiraz/Cabernet [not a good mix] as opposed to a good NZ Pinot Noir).
On arrival there was a huge delay with the luggage (I thought that maybe they had loaded that onto the wrong plane too), but luckily it turned up eventually. I went through the Red Channel, as I had some herbs and spices that I wasn't sure if I could bring into the country or not. (Un)fortunately the customs officers were so busy with the huge queue at the green channel that I was able to walk straight through, unaccosted. I did feel a bit guilty (what if my dried oregano was harbouring some nasty disease?), but was too tired to go back and rejoin the mammoth queue.
I phoned the hostel for my free pick-up and was a bit miffed to hear that they had no record of my booking. Grrr. Luckily they phoned across to their sister hostel (just down the road) and there was space for me there. Breath collective deep sigh of relief.
They told me to get a shuttle bus, which they would then refund me for on arrival (which was nice). It would have helped if the shuttle bus driver had spoken English (I thought people from the Indian subcontinent all learnt English at school) and knew more than one street in Sydney. He had one of the passengers reading a map, while he struggled with a shot gearbox and the Sydney traffic.
It was certainly a memorable journey. The poor elderly Dutch chap on board was less than comfortable with proceedings. He didn't have a clue where he was going (other than the address), so was completely in the dark (in the dark), in a sardine-like taxi, surrounded by people speaking a language he didn't understand. Still, after much driving around the city and finally grabbing the map to find out exactly where we were/where I wanted to be, at least I ended up in approximately the right place (leaving the poor Dutch chap to fend for himself - and feeling a bit guilty in the process). Well, I say I ended up in the right place... It would have been the right place if the first hostel had honoured my booking. Grrr again. Luckily, the guy on reception was very friendly and pointed me in the right direction of hostel number deux. I was just around the corner. At approximately 9pm I had arrived.
The hostel seemed quite nice (if a bit larger than I had imagined) and the other people in my dorm were really friendly. These included 2 Dutch architecture students and a Landscape Architect from Italy. More of them later... I was zonked and so it was an early night for me.
*That's a pie made in a New Zealand style, not one made from an endangered flightless bird.
Thursday 1st March 2007
Well, it turns out that said Italian architect (Roberto) is from Trapani in Sicily (been there!) and went to university in Reggio di Calabria (been there too!). He's in the process of doing a PhD about Australian Landscape Architecture, so is on a rather cushy "field-trip", jetting around the continent. So, we've got quite a lot in common, and hence lots to talk about. The two Dutch Arcitecture students (Rob and Lissete) are on a semester-long exchange and are also really nice, interesting people. I think I've been really lucky, as the rest of the hostel seems rather more of a party-crowd (with all the wit, intelligence and intrigue that that suggests).
It was my first full day in Sydney so I spent most of it getting my bearings (on foot). In the morning I went to the Botanical Gardens, via Wooloomooloo Harbour (great name!) and then continued around to Circular Quay and The Rocks. I went into the Museum of Contemporary Art, where there was a really interesting exhibition by Paddy Bedford (a contemporary aboriginal painter), and some rather-less-interesting modern guff. The whole area is lovely, from the botanical gardens, around the quay (shitty modern architecture aside) to the rocks (interesting fragments of colonial architecture and nice higgledy-piggledy character, squat beneath the harbour bridge).
In the afternoon, I walked in the other direction, towards the suburb of Paddington. It's a lovely area of old Victorian terraces. All wrought iron verandahs and balconies. I bought tickets for a screening at the Chauvel Cinema the following evening. An art house flick called Old Joy, soundtracked by Yo La Tengo, with the band themselves doing a question and answer session afterwards. I thought it would make a nice change from the usual backpacker-type stuff. All in all, a nice afternoon's walk, around a lovely area of the city.
Well, my time is up. The library bell has just been rung (like being in an English pub)! I guess I should learn not to waffle so much, as I have only managed to do two days and am still over 2 weeks behind. Teacher's report: must try harder.
Best wishes for now,
James xx
Friday, March 16, 2007
Quicky from Katoomba
Hello there,
I'm now in the Blue Mountains and have discovered more free internet access (courtesy of my friends at the local library). Haven't got much time so this will just be a short one for now:
Wednesday 28th February Continued
The flight to Sydney was delayed for 30 minutes because they had catered the wrong aeroplane. Whoops. Otherwise it was an uneventful flight (I sat next to two miserable middle-aged people who didn't speak a single word to me for the whole flight) with okay food (a pretty good traditional Kiwi pie*) but less good wine than on the flight from Perth to Auckland (an ordinary Australian Shiraz/Cabernet [not a good mix] as opposed to a good NZ Pinot Noir).
On arrival there was a huge delay with the luggage (I thought that maybe they had loaded that onto the wrong plane too), but luckily it turned up eventually. I went through the Red Channel, as I had some herbs and spices that I wasn't sure if I could bring into the country or not. (Un)fortunately the customs officers were so busy with the huge queue at the green channel that I was able to walk straight through, unaccosted. I did feel a bit guilty (what if my dried oregano was harbouring some nasty disease?), but was too tired to go back and rejoin the mammoth queue.
I phoned the hostel for my free pick-up and was a bit miffed to hear that they had no record of my booking. Grrr. Luckily they phoned across to their sister hostel (just down the road) and there was space for me there. Breath collective deep sigh of relief.
They told me to get a shuttle bus, which they would then refund me for on arrival (which was nice). It would have helped if the shuttle bus driver had spoken English (I thought people from the Indian subcontinent all learnt English at school) and knew more than one street in Sydney. He had one of the passengers reading a map, while he struggled with a shot gearbox and the Sydney traffic.
It was certainly a memorable journey. The poor elderly Dutch chap on board was less than comfortable with proceedings. He didn't have a clue where he was going (other than the address), so was completely in the dark (in the dark), in a sardine-like taxi, surrounded by people speaking a language he didn't understand. Still, after much driving around the city and finally grabbing the map to find out exactly where we were/where I wanted to be, at least I ended up in approximately the right place (leaving the poor Dutch chap to fend for himself - and feeling a bit guilty in the process). Well, I say I ended up in the right place... It would have been the right place if the first hostel had honoured my booking. Grrr again. Luckily, the guy on reception was very friendly and pointed me in the right direction of hostel number deux. I was just around the corner. At approximately 9pm I had arrived.
The hostel seemed quite nice (if a bit larger than I had imagined) and the other people in my dorm were really friendly. These included 2 Dutch architecture students and a Landscape Architect from Italy. More of them later... I was zonked and so it was an early night for me.
*That's a pie made in a New Zealand style, not one made from an endangered flightless bird.
Thursday 1st March 2007
Well, it turns out that said Italian architect (Roberto) is from Trapani in Sicily (been there!) and went to university in Reggio di Calabria (been there too!). He's in the process of doing a PhD about Australian Landscape Architecture, so is on a rather cushy "field-trip", jetting around the continent. So, we've got quite a lot in common, and hence lots to talk about. The two Dutch Arcitecture students (Rob and Lissete) are on a semester-long exchange and are also really nice, interesting people. I think I've been really lucky, as the rest of the hostel seems rather more of a party-crowd (with all the wit, intelligence and intrigue that that suggests).
It was my first full day in Sydney so I spent most of it getting my bearings (on foot). In the morning I went to the Botanical Gardens, via Wooloomooloo Harbour (great name!) and then continued around to Circular Quay and The Rocks. I went into the Museum of Contemporary Art, where there was a really interesting exhibition by Paddy Bedford (a contemporary aboriginal painter), and some rather-less-interesting modern guff. The whole area is lovely, from the botanical gardens, around the quay (shitty modern architecture aside) to the rocks (interesting fragments of colonial architecture and nice higgledy-piggledy character, squat beneath the harbour bridge).
In the afternoon, I walked in the other direction, towards the suburb of Paddington. It's a lovely area of old Victorian terraces. All wrought iron verandahs and balconies. I bought tickets for a screening at the Chauvel Cinema the following evening. An art house flick called Old Joy, soundtracked by Yo La Tengo, with the band themselves doing a question and answer session afterwards. I thought it would make a nice change from the usual backpacker-type stuff. All in all, a nice afternoon's walk, around a lovely area of the city.
Well, my time is up. The library bell has just been rung (like being in an English pub)! I guess I should learn not to waffle so much, as I have only managed to do two days and am still over 2 weeks behind. Teacher's report: must try harder.
Best wishes for now,
James xx
I'm now in the Blue Mountains and have discovered more free internet access (courtesy of my friends at the local library). Haven't got much time so this will just be a short one for now:
Wednesday 28th February Continued
The flight to Sydney was delayed for 30 minutes because they had catered the wrong aeroplane. Whoops. Otherwise it was an uneventful flight (I sat next to two miserable middle-aged people who didn't speak a single word to me for the whole flight) with okay food (a pretty good traditional Kiwi pie*) but less good wine than on the flight from Perth to Auckland (an ordinary Australian Shiraz/Cabernet [not a good mix] as opposed to a good NZ Pinot Noir).
On arrival there was a huge delay with the luggage (I thought that maybe they had loaded that onto the wrong plane too), but luckily it turned up eventually. I went through the Red Channel, as I had some herbs and spices that I wasn't sure if I could bring into the country or not. (Un)fortunately the customs officers were so busy with the huge queue at the green channel that I was able to walk straight through, unaccosted. I did feel a bit guilty (what if my dried oregano was harbouring some nasty disease?), but was too tired to go back and rejoin the mammoth queue.
I phoned the hostel for my free pick-up and was a bit miffed to hear that they had no record of my booking. Grrr. Luckily they phoned across to their sister hostel (just down the road) and there was space for me there. Breath collective deep sigh of relief.
They told me to get a shuttle bus, which they would then refund me for on arrival (which was nice). It would have helped if the shuttle bus driver had spoken English (I thought people from the Indian subcontinent all learnt English at school) and knew more than one street in Sydney. He had one of the passengers reading a map, while he struggled with a shot gearbox and the Sydney traffic.
It was certainly a memorable journey. The poor elderly Dutch chap on board was less than comfortable with proceedings. He didn't have a clue where he was going (other than the address), so was completely in the dark (in the dark), in a sardine-like taxi, surrounded by people speaking a language he didn't understand. Still, after much driving around the city and finally grabbing the map to find out exactly where we were/where I wanted to be, at least I ended up in approximately the right place (leaving the poor Dutch chap to fend for himself - and feeling a bit guilty in the process). Well, I say I ended up in the right place... It would have been the right place if the first hostel had honoured my booking. Grrr again. Luckily, the guy on reception was very friendly and pointed me in the right direction of hostel number deux. I was just around the corner. At approximately 9pm I had arrived.
The hostel seemed quite nice (if a bit larger than I had imagined) and the other people in my dorm were really friendly. These included 2 Dutch architecture students and a Landscape Architect from Italy. More of them later... I was zonked and so it was an early night for me.
*That's a pie made in a New Zealand style, not one made from an endangered flightless bird.
Thursday 1st March 2007
Well, it turns out that said Italian architect (Roberto) is from Trapani in Sicily (been there!) and went to university in Reggio di Calabria (been there too!). He's in the process of doing a PhD about Australian Landscape Architecture, so is on a rather cushy "field-trip", jetting around the continent. So, we've got quite a lot in common, and hence lots to talk about. The two Dutch Arcitecture students (Rob and Lissete) are on a semester-long exchange and are also really nice, interesting people. I think I've been really lucky, as the rest of the hostel seems rather more of a party-crowd (with all the wit, intelligence and intrigue that that suggests).
It was my first full day in Sydney so I spent most of it getting my bearings (on foot). In the morning I went to the Botanical Gardens, via Wooloomooloo Harbour (great name!) and then continued around to Circular Quay and The Rocks. I went into the Museum of Contemporary Art, where there was a really interesting exhibition by Paddy Bedford (a contemporary aboriginal painter), and some rather-less-interesting modern guff. The whole area is lovely, from the botanical gardens, around the quay (shitty modern architecture aside) to the rocks (interesting fragments of colonial architecture and nice higgledy-piggledy character, squat beneath the harbour bridge).
In the afternoon, I walked in the other direction, towards the suburb of Paddington. It's a lovely area of old Victorian terraces. All wrought iron verandahs and balconies. I bought tickets for a screening at the Chauvel Cinema the following evening. An art house flick called Old Joy, soundtracked by Yo La Tengo, with the band themselves doing a question and answer session afterwards. I thought it would make a nice change from the usual backpacker-type stuff. All in all, a nice afternoon's walk, around a lovely area of the city.
Well, my time is up. The library bell has just been rung (like being in an English pub)! I guess I should learn not to waffle so much, as I have only managed to do two days and am still over 2 weeks behind. Teacher's report: must try harder.
Best wishes for now,
James xx
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
It rains, even in Australia (which fittingly brings to a close my entries for New Zealand)
Well, we finally have a rainy day here in Sydney (my last full day, natch) and I'm back on the computer to try and update my blog. Only now do I discover that the main state library (5 mins walk from my hostel) had free e-mail all along (blogging is classified as e-mail, it would seem - and is therefore blocked on certain computers). It was right under my nose. And to think I had been walking for half-an-hour each time I wanted to use a computer for e-mail/blogging. D'oh.
It is also really quite cold too (for Sydney at least - that means low 20s) so it's quite nice to be inside for a change. He goes...
Friday 23rd February 2007
It was a quiet morning in Napier (I'm not sure the town does any other sort of morning). I walked to the beach and around the town... still enjoying the sunny (and warm!) weather, popping into the library to avoid the midday sun and catch up on the news (courtesy of every available regional newspaper in New Zealand - they don't really do nationals here, like they do at home). I also started researching my trip to Sydney and even managed to book a hostel at the first attempt.
After lunch I went back to the beach to lounge around in the sun. It's just a shame that the currents off the beach make swimming dangerous, as it was so hot that a dip in the brine wouldn't have been out of the question. Alas, I had to make do with paddling and getting covered in salt spray from the huge breakers pounding the shore.
I had an interesting evening chatting to a trainee wine-maker from France. He was a really nice chap who spends his time following the seasons (and the sun) around the world. So far he has worked at wineries in France, Italy, Australia and New Zealand. And I think he's heading to South America next winter... Nice work if you can get it, although by all accounts very poorly paid and really difficult to find without a huge chunk of experience behind you.
Saturday 24th February 2007
It had rained overnight and although it had stopped by the time I woke up, it was still overcast. It was therefore a morning of internet and laundry (that classic backpacker combination - I'm surprised no-one has come up with an internet launderette [interneterette? launderinternet?]).
In the afternoon I was hoping to have taken one of the hostel bikes (of the cycling variety) to go and visit some of the vineyards in the Hawke's Bay area. Unfortunately all the bikes were already in use, so I had to content myself with a walk along the coastal promenade instead. The weather was a bit duff (as was some of the heavy industry along the shoreline). All in all, a rather dull walk (apart from being menaced briefly by a fierce-looking dog), but still, nice to be out in the fresh air.
I was rather pooped come evening, so it was a quiet night. Shower, food, bed (well, the latter should read "roll-mat-in-tent" - which I am rather afraid has developed a slow puncture, judging by the apparent hardness of the ground come morning).
Sunday 25th February 2007
My final day in Napier was one of pootling. I read the Sunday papers at the library in the morning, had a leisurely lunch and then went to the beach in the afternoon. The weather was once again warm and sunny, so it was nice to enjoy it and take it easy.
The only excitement of the day came in the evening, when upon entering my tent I caught my head (ever so slightly - I'm sure it was no more than a gentle bushing) on the door frame, which somehow resulted in one of the tent poles snapping in two. Ooops. I was just debating what to do (luckily it was dry and no rain was forecast - so I'd have been quite happy using my tent as an over-sized bivvy-bag), when an oldish English couple (who had been around the hostel whole time, but who I'd so far largely managed to avoid) came to my rescue. They mustered some parcel tape and a section of aluminium piping from somewhere, which they used to brace the broken pole ("he's an engineer you know"). They were very kind, albeit in a weirdly-nervy, slightly-patronising and very-odd-looking kind of way. He looked like a cross between Mr. Law and Lord Lucan (read: most odd), with a 'tache (massive) that was bigger than his shorts (minute). Very short shorts really should be outlawed by all governments (there's an election winner if ever there was one). If they take objection to a dirty tent at customs, then surely they could easily confiscate a pair of indecently short shorts.
Monday 26th February 2007
I spent the morning packing up my stuff (discovering in the process that my tent repair kit contained a section of aluminium tubing specifically for the repair of snapped tent poles. D'oh). It was once again hot and sunny... bolstering Napier's claims of being the sunniest place in the country (and most of the populations' claims that February is the best month for settled weather).
The afternoon's bus journey was rather boring (it didn't really look much different in reverse) and it got progressively cloudier as I approached Wellington. The bus driver kindly dropped us off at the hostel, however, which saved a 20 minute walk laden with bags.
It was quite late when I arrived in Wellington, and my empty-belly-situation was compounded by the fact that upon entering my dormitory I was talked at for about 45 minutes by an Indian student with an impossibly strong accent ("say it again"). I finally made it down to the kitchen just before 9pm and was rewarded for my patience with a fantastic haul of free food. Yay.
Tuesday 27th February 2007
More free food this morning (departure points are always good for reaping what other people have cast asunder prior to leaving) This included a barely-started bottle of $20 Pinot Noir and assorted other goodies. Yay again, with knobs on.
I went to Te Papa in the morning (New Zealand's National Museum), where I was only really impressed by the art-gallery section (including an especially beautiful work made from disassembled fruit crates - and no, I'm not being sarcastic). The building itself is a monstrous postmodernist mish-mash (talk about over-egging the pudding). If they were aiming for the Guggenheim-effect, then they must be sorely disappointed. Still, I suppose it could be seen as an interesting commentary on contemporary New Zealand (although even through my overly-critical eyes I wouldn't go quite so far as to call New Zealand a "monstrous post-modern [post-colonial] mish-mash").
After that amount of culture (yawn) it was time for a boozy lunch, courtesy of a couple of glasses of the free Pinot. Yum.
I spent the afternoon reading on the beach/waterfront (more sun - hooray) before meeting up with Victoria in the evening for a goodbye drink in a couple of Wellington's nice bars.
Wednesday 28th February 2007
I went back to Te Papa in the morning (only really because they offered free luggage storage there, whereas the hostel would have charged $3). And free newspapers too - bonus. I had a closer look at a few of the exhibits and wasn't really all that impressed by very much. Bah humbug!
I then got the bus to the airport and completed the final leg of my journey through New Zealand. Goodbye Kiwiland, Australia here I come...
Well, that seems an appropriate place to leave it for now. Just two weeks in Sydney to update (which have flown by - and have been filled with all manner of good things) and I'll be there. I might even make some further headway later this arvo, but want to head out and get some fresh air right now (since it appears to have stopped raining - unless it is waiting for me to poke my head out of the door before emptying down, that is).
Cheerio for now,
James xx
It is also really quite cold too (for Sydney at least - that means low 20s) so it's quite nice to be inside for a change. He goes...
Friday 23rd February 2007
It was a quiet morning in Napier (I'm not sure the town does any other sort of morning). I walked to the beach and around the town... still enjoying the sunny (and warm!) weather, popping into the library to avoid the midday sun and catch up on the news (courtesy of every available regional newspaper in New Zealand - they don't really do nationals here, like they do at home). I also started researching my trip to Sydney and even managed to book a hostel at the first attempt.
After lunch I went back to the beach to lounge around in the sun. It's just a shame that the currents off the beach make swimming dangerous, as it was so hot that a dip in the brine wouldn't have been out of the question. Alas, I had to make do with paddling and getting covered in salt spray from the huge breakers pounding the shore.
I had an interesting evening chatting to a trainee wine-maker from France. He was a really nice chap who spends his time following the seasons (and the sun) around the world. So far he has worked at wineries in France, Italy, Australia and New Zealand. And I think he's heading to South America next winter... Nice work if you can get it, although by all accounts very poorly paid and really difficult to find without a huge chunk of experience behind you.
Saturday 24th February 2007
It had rained overnight and although it had stopped by the time I woke up, it was still overcast. It was therefore a morning of internet and laundry (that classic backpacker combination - I'm surprised no-one has come up with an internet launderette [interneterette? launderinternet?]).
In the afternoon I was hoping to have taken one of the hostel bikes (of the cycling variety) to go and visit some of the vineyards in the Hawke's Bay area. Unfortunately all the bikes were already in use, so I had to content myself with a walk along the coastal promenade instead. The weather was a bit duff (as was some of the heavy industry along the shoreline). All in all, a rather dull walk (apart from being menaced briefly by a fierce-looking dog), but still, nice to be out in the fresh air.
I was rather pooped come evening, so it was a quiet night. Shower, food, bed (well, the latter should read "roll-mat-in-tent" - which I am rather afraid has developed a slow puncture, judging by the apparent hardness of the ground come morning).
Sunday 25th February 2007
My final day in Napier was one of pootling. I read the Sunday papers at the library in the morning, had a leisurely lunch and then went to the beach in the afternoon. The weather was once again warm and sunny, so it was nice to enjoy it and take it easy.
The only excitement of the day came in the evening, when upon entering my tent I caught my head (ever so slightly - I'm sure it was no more than a gentle bushing) on the door frame, which somehow resulted in one of the tent poles snapping in two. Ooops. I was just debating what to do (luckily it was dry and no rain was forecast - so I'd have been quite happy using my tent as an over-sized bivvy-bag), when an oldish English couple (who had been around the hostel whole time, but who I'd so far largely managed to avoid) came to my rescue. They mustered some parcel tape and a section of aluminium piping from somewhere, which they used to brace the broken pole ("he's an engineer you know"). They were very kind, albeit in a weirdly-nervy, slightly-patronising and very-odd-looking kind of way. He looked like a cross between Mr. Law and Lord Lucan (read: most odd), with a 'tache (massive) that was bigger than his shorts (minute). Very short shorts really should be outlawed by all governments (there's an election winner if ever there was one). If they take objection to a dirty tent at customs, then surely they could easily confiscate a pair of indecently short shorts.
Monday 26th February 2007
I spent the morning packing up my stuff (discovering in the process that my tent repair kit contained a section of aluminium tubing specifically for the repair of snapped tent poles. D'oh). It was once again hot and sunny... bolstering Napier's claims of being the sunniest place in the country (and most of the populations' claims that February is the best month for settled weather).
The afternoon's bus journey was rather boring (it didn't really look much different in reverse) and it got progressively cloudier as I approached Wellington. The bus driver kindly dropped us off at the hostel, however, which saved a 20 minute walk laden with bags.
It was quite late when I arrived in Wellington, and my empty-belly-situation was compounded by the fact that upon entering my dormitory I was talked at for about 45 minutes by an Indian student with an impossibly strong accent ("say it again"). I finally made it down to the kitchen just before 9pm and was rewarded for my patience with a fantastic haul of free food. Yay.
Tuesday 27th February 2007
More free food this morning (departure points are always good for reaping what other people have cast asunder prior to leaving) This included a barely-started bottle of $20 Pinot Noir and assorted other goodies. Yay again, with knobs on.
I went to Te Papa in the morning (New Zealand's National Museum), where I was only really impressed by the art-gallery section (including an especially beautiful work made from disassembled fruit crates - and no, I'm not being sarcastic). The building itself is a monstrous postmodernist mish-mash (talk about over-egging the pudding). If they were aiming for the Guggenheim-effect, then they must be sorely disappointed. Still, I suppose it could be seen as an interesting commentary on contemporary New Zealand (although even through my overly-critical eyes I wouldn't go quite so far as to call New Zealand a "monstrous post-modern [post-colonial] mish-mash").
After that amount of culture (yawn) it was time for a boozy lunch, courtesy of a couple of glasses of the free Pinot. Yum.
I spent the afternoon reading on the beach/waterfront (more sun - hooray) before meeting up with Victoria in the evening for a goodbye drink in a couple of Wellington's nice bars.
Wednesday 28th February 2007
I went back to Te Papa in the morning (only really because they offered free luggage storage there, whereas the hostel would have charged $3). And free newspapers too - bonus. I had a closer look at a few of the exhibits and wasn't really all that impressed by very much. Bah humbug!
I then got the bus to the airport and completed the final leg of my journey through New Zealand. Goodbye Kiwiland, Australia here I come...
Well, that seems an appropriate place to leave it for now. Just two weeks in Sydney to update (which have flown by - and have been filled with all manner of good things) and I'll be there. I might even make some further headway later this arvo, but want to head out and get some fresh air right now (since it appears to have stopped raining - unless it is waiting for me to poke my head out of the door before emptying down, that is).
Cheerio for now,
James xx
Friday, March 02, 2007
Sydney
Well, so much for keeping on top of the blog. It's been a couple of weeks, so this may well come in stages. But internet is free at the library here in Paddington, Sydney, so I shall keep coming back until I'm bang up to date...
Friday 16th February 2007 Continued
After leaving The Bug, I got the bus over to Picton, which is, in the words of a travel-brochure writer, nestled at the base of the Malborough sounds. The weather clouded in as we drove into the Sounds, but before then it had been a glorious day (typically spent for the most part on the internet or in a bus).
I was staying (in my tent) in a place called The Jugglers Rest. I was a bit apprehensive about the atmosphere of such a place, thinking that it would be like a small Sidmouth Folk Festival, full of fire-breathing vagrant-types and juggling crusties. I couldn't have been more wrong, however. It was great.
In the evening when I arrived some Japanese were making tempura for everyone at the hostel. I guess it was rather lighter than your average fish and chips ("fush and chups" in the local dialect), but it isn't far off and there was so much of it that by the end I definitely had deep-fried belly.
Still, it was a very pleasant evening and there were certainly some interesting characters at the hostel. These included a precocious American daddy's girl (educated in a posh Boston private school, but now looking to make it on her own as a photographer/writer in Texas), a middle-aged pschotherapist from England (think Shirley Valentine/Anna Ferris' Mum on a voyage of self-discovery), and an odd couple from the Isle of Wight. Both of the latter were in their fifties, although she looked old enough to be his mother (and kept making comments about how she couldn't understand why people thought that was the case). They have been cycling round the world for the last few years and either brought psychicatric issues with them, or developed them as a result. Fascinating stuff.
Saturday 17th February 2007
Set off early on a long walk (making sure I got away ahead of the Isle of Wighters, who were planning the same route). My outing took in a great look-out on the hill behind Picton and then I followed the track out to The Snout (a promontory sticking out into the Malborough Sounds). It was a clear, sunny day and the views were wonderful.
It was quite and eventful day. I stubbed my toe on an eroded wooden step (bending back the nail, and spitting it so much that it bled - nice - but luckily not enough to require a plaster) and had a picnic sitting on rocks at the very end of The Snout. There were so many Cicadas flying about that two got trapped behind my glasses and several more flew into my ears, nose, neck, hair, etc. It was enough to cause a mild outbreak of maddness (waving arms, shouting randomly into the air, walking along bent double with my arms over my face and my hands over my ears...). So that rather took away from the pleasure of walking through the bush. But still, with hindsight, you tend to forget about the little things and concentrate on the good aspects (sunshine, views, the smell of the tea-tree bushes, wild-flowers).
Back at the hostel I compared notes with the mad English couple (she had also stubbed a toe and had trouble with the beasties - they were surprised they hadn't seen me!) and then made a spinach curry and accompanying dahl. This was washed down with a nice Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, courtesy of a friendly (and for once, not too opinionated) Israeli.
Sunday 18th Feburary 2007
I had a nice relaxing morning at the Juggler's Rest, packing up my tent, picking pears from the tree and enjoying the sunshine (again - summer's finally here it would seem). Finished the curry for lunch (and felt pretty stuffed - I really should learn how to cook for one).
The Ferry ride over to Wellington was beautiful. Gorgeous views of the Sounds, and then right down the coast (to the Kaikoura Mountain Range behind). I managed to scrape my shin on one of the raised thresholds on the boat (nice sharp metal edge - I should sue). More blood, but not on a scale comparable to Mum's two horseshoe slices. There must be something in the genes!
The approach into Wellington was also most scenic. Another nestled settlement (aren't they great?), which gives it a compactness you don't often get in New Zealand.
Victoria (friend from Scotland, via Western Australia) was there to meet me at the ferry terminal and we walked back to her house. Or, rather, the place where she is staying. It is a student house, shared with umpteen others, but I was lucky enough to have a room (and bed) to myself, which was a rare luxury on this trip (having a room to myself, that is - I have been lucky enough [or not!] to have a bed to myself throughout my travels).
We then went out for a drink and something to eat. It was lucky that I wasn't so hungry (thanks, curry!), as I ordered a gormet hotdog and got the smallest sausage in the world on the thinest single slice of sliced white bread I have ever seen. It was quite comic, but not wholly satisfying. Luckily Victoria's selection (Portobello mushrooms and salad) was huge, so I was able to share some of that too.
Wellington seems lovely (quite quiet on a Sunday night, but with a friendly, slightly bohemian atmostphere and hills rising up all around).
Monday 19th February 2007
Still sunny. Amazing weather, in fact. Something feels amiss! Everyone kept telling me that Wellington is nice, but the weather is always rubbish. Well, not on this occasion.
In the morning, I walked up to the Mt Victoria lookout with Clay (great 360 degree views) and then back down, to the beach, for a swim. I didn't really expect to be swimming in Wellington, so it was a pleasant surprise. The man-made beach was a bit like crushed builders' rubble, but the water was clean and there were plenty of fish and starfish, so it can't be too polluted.
In the afternoon, I bought stuff for a picnic and wandered up to the Botanical Gardens. It's a beautiful spot and the contours (very up and down) make it seem even bigger than it is. Nice plants too. The golden evening light was amazing (lots of photos) and I walked miles, weaving a circuitous route back through the city.
I collapsed into bed soon after I got back, before Clay and Victoria had finished work (they've both got bar/restaurant jobs, so work odd hours).
Tuesday 20th February 2007
Even warmer today. Not even sunnier, but only because that would have been impossible. Wellington looks lovely with a backdrop of clear blue skies. Who'd have thought it?
I spent most of the day in the garden and on the beach. It was Victoria's day off, so it was nice to have some company for a change. And nice to be swimming in the sea again (only a hand-full of times during my whole 3 months in NZ).
In the evening I went with Victoria and one of her housemates (a dreadlocked fire-stick waver - he should've been staying at The Juggler's Rest!), to a little bar called Havana. It was a sweet little place - right up Carolyn's street, with a Latin American theme throughout.
Wednesday 21st February 2007
Up early to get the bus to Napier. Rather a boring journey (although the first bit along the Kapiti coast is quite scenic, and there is a section through a little gorge about half way). It is also cloudy for most of the journey (that's more like it).
Luckily the sun was back out by the time I reached the Hawke's Bay area (the sunniest part of the country, apparently, although about 3 other regions make the same claim).
Spent the afternoon wandering around Napier and getting my bearings. The Art Deco architecture isn't quite as unified/coherent as I might have imagined, although there are some nice buildings dotted around and the town generally has a pleasant atmosphere. It also has a massively long grey pebble beach (backed by rows of Norfolk Pines), although the many warnings about the undertow rather disuade me from taking a dip.
I found half a ready roasted chicken for $2.99, a huge pumpkin for $1.20 and assorted other bargains (including a nice bottle of Hawke's Bay Pinot Noir for under $10). I love Pak & Save.
Thursday 22nd February 2007
I walked to the beach in the morning and made further forays into the town, in an attempt to spot Art Deco details. Still lovely and sunny. The tall palm trees in some of the parks (along with the sun and occasional bit of Spanish Mission architecture) remind me of San Diego. It's almost enough to make you believe the hype.
After lunch back at the hostel I went on a mammoth walk up to the Botanical Gardens (there is a huge derelict hospital next to it - occupying a prime site on the top of the hill, with views all around - surely a major development opportunity), over to the harbour and up to Bluff lookout. All quite interesting, but the centre of Napier is by far the nicest part for wandering around. The rest tends towards "boring suburb" and the port area is heavy-industrial, rather than marina-chic.
The hostel isn't the friendliest I've been in (lots of long-termers working in the vineyards and orchards of Hawke's Bay), but it only costs $11 a night (in my tent) and has everything I might need (which is basically a well-equipped kitchen and reasonably clean bathroom).
Well, I had better leave it there for now, as my time on the computer is almost up (and blogger has been causing me no end of troubles on this computer - I'm not even going to attempt to spell check). I'll try and make further updates later in the week, although there is so much to see and do in Sydney that I am finding it difficult to curtail my wanderings and stay indoors on the computer. I clearly need to find somewhere more boring to stay!
Friday 16th February 2007 Continued
After leaving The Bug, I got the bus over to Picton, which is, in the words of a travel-brochure writer, nestled at the base of the Malborough sounds. The weather clouded in as we drove into the Sounds, but before then it had been a glorious day (typically spent for the most part on the internet or in a bus).
I was staying (in my tent) in a place called The Jugglers Rest. I was a bit apprehensive about the atmosphere of such a place, thinking that it would be like a small Sidmouth Folk Festival, full of fire-breathing vagrant-types and juggling crusties. I couldn't have been more wrong, however. It was great.
In the evening when I arrived some Japanese were making tempura for everyone at the hostel. I guess it was rather lighter than your average fish and chips ("fush and chups" in the local dialect), but it isn't far off and there was so much of it that by the end I definitely had deep-fried belly.
Still, it was a very pleasant evening and there were certainly some interesting characters at the hostel. These included a precocious American daddy's girl (educated in a posh Boston private school, but now looking to make it on her own as a photographer/writer in Texas), a middle-aged pschotherapist from England (think Shirley Valentine/Anna Ferris' Mum on a voyage of self-discovery), and an odd couple from the Isle of Wight. Both of the latter were in their fifties, although she looked old enough to be his mother (and kept making comments about how she couldn't understand why people thought that was the case). They have been cycling round the world for the last few years and either brought psychicatric issues with them, or developed them as a result. Fascinating stuff.
Saturday 17th February 2007
Set off early on a long walk (making sure I got away ahead of the Isle of Wighters, who were planning the same route). My outing took in a great look-out on the hill behind Picton and then I followed the track out to The Snout (a promontory sticking out into the Malborough Sounds). It was a clear, sunny day and the views were wonderful.
It was quite and eventful day. I stubbed my toe on an eroded wooden step (bending back the nail, and spitting it so much that it bled - nice - but luckily not enough to require a plaster) and had a picnic sitting on rocks at the very end of The Snout. There were so many Cicadas flying about that two got trapped behind my glasses and several more flew into my ears, nose, neck, hair, etc. It was enough to cause a mild outbreak of maddness (waving arms, shouting randomly into the air, walking along bent double with my arms over my face and my hands over my ears...). So that rather took away from the pleasure of walking through the bush. But still, with hindsight, you tend to forget about the little things and concentrate on the good aspects (sunshine, views, the smell of the tea-tree bushes, wild-flowers).
Back at the hostel I compared notes with the mad English couple (she had also stubbed a toe and had trouble with the beasties - they were surprised they hadn't seen me!) and then made a spinach curry and accompanying dahl. This was washed down with a nice Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, courtesy of a friendly (and for once, not too opinionated) Israeli.
Sunday 18th Feburary 2007
I had a nice relaxing morning at the Juggler's Rest, packing up my tent, picking pears from the tree and enjoying the sunshine (again - summer's finally here it would seem). Finished the curry for lunch (and felt pretty stuffed - I really should learn how to cook for one).
The Ferry ride over to Wellington was beautiful. Gorgeous views of the Sounds, and then right down the coast (to the Kaikoura Mountain Range behind). I managed to scrape my shin on one of the raised thresholds on the boat (nice sharp metal edge - I should sue). More blood, but not on a scale comparable to Mum's two horseshoe slices. There must be something in the genes!
The approach into Wellington was also most scenic. Another nestled settlement (aren't they great?), which gives it a compactness you don't often get in New Zealand.
Victoria (friend from Scotland, via Western Australia) was there to meet me at the ferry terminal and we walked back to her house. Or, rather, the place where she is staying. It is a student house, shared with umpteen others, but I was lucky enough to have a room (and bed) to myself, which was a rare luxury on this trip (having a room to myself, that is - I have been lucky enough [or not!] to have a bed to myself throughout my travels).
We then went out for a drink and something to eat. It was lucky that I wasn't so hungry (thanks, curry!), as I ordered a gormet hotdog and got the smallest sausage in the world on the thinest single slice of sliced white bread I have ever seen. It was quite comic, but not wholly satisfying. Luckily Victoria's selection (Portobello mushrooms and salad) was huge, so I was able to share some of that too.
Wellington seems lovely (quite quiet on a Sunday night, but with a friendly, slightly bohemian atmostphere and hills rising up all around).
Monday 19th February 2007
Still sunny. Amazing weather, in fact. Something feels amiss! Everyone kept telling me that Wellington is nice, but the weather is always rubbish. Well, not on this occasion.
In the morning, I walked up to the Mt Victoria lookout with Clay (great 360 degree views) and then back down, to the beach, for a swim. I didn't really expect to be swimming in Wellington, so it was a pleasant surprise. The man-made beach was a bit like crushed builders' rubble, but the water was clean and there were plenty of fish and starfish, so it can't be too polluted.
In the afternoon, I bought stuff for a picnic and wandered up to the Botanical Gardens. It's a beautiful spot and the contours (very up and down) make it seem even bigger than it is. Nice plants too. The golden evening light was amazing (lots of photos) and I walked miles, weaving a circuitous route back through the city.
I collapsed into bed soon after I got back, before Clay and Victoria had finished work (they've both got bar/restaurant jobs, so work odd hours).
Tuesday 20th February 2007
Even warmer today. Not even sunnier, but only because that would have been impossible. Wellington looks lovely with a backdrop of clear blue skies. Who'd have thought it?
I spent most of the day in the garden and on the beach. It was Victoria's day off, so it was nice to have some company for a change. And nice to be swimming in the sea again (only a hand-full of times during my whole 3 months in NZ).
In the evening I went with Victoria and one of her housemates (a dreadlocked fire-stick waver - he should've been staying at The Juggler's Rest!), to a little bar called Havana. It was a sweet little place - right up Carolyn's street, with a Latin American theme throughout.
Wednesday 21st February 2007
Up early to get the bus to Napier. Rather a boring journey (although the first bit along the Kapiti coast is quite scenic, and there is a section through a little gorge about half way). It is also cloudy for most of the journey (that's more like it).
Luckily the sun was back out by the time I reached the Hawke's Bay area (the sunniest part of the country, apparently, although about 3 other regions make the same claim).
Spent the afternoon wandering around Napier and getting my bearings. The Art Deco architecture isn't quite as unified/coherent as I might have imagined, although there are some nice buildings dotted around and the town generally has a pleasant atmosphere. It also has a massively long grey pebble beach (backed by rows of Norfolk Pines), although the many warnings about the undertow rather disuade me from taking a dip.
I found half a ready roasted chicken for $2.99, a huge pumpkin for $1.20 and assorted other bargains (including a nice bottle of Hawke's Bay Pinot Noir for under $10). I love Pak & Save.
Thursday 22nd February 2007
I walked to the beach in the morning and made further forays into the town, in an attempt to spot Art Deco details. Still lovely and sunny. The tall palm trees in some of the parks (along with the sun and occasional bit of Spanish Mission architecture) remind me of San Diego. It's almost enough to make you believe the hype.
After lunch back at the hostel I went on a mammoth walk up to the Botanical Gardens (there is a huge derelict hospital next to it - occupying a prime site on the top of the hill, with views all around - surely a major development opportunity), over to the harbour and up to Bluff lookout. All quite interesting, but the centre of Napier is by far the nicest part for wandering around. The rest tends towards "boring suburb" and the port area is heavy-industrial, rather than marina-chic.
The hostel isn't the friendliest I've been in (lots of long-termers working in the vineyards and orchards of Hawke's Bay), but it only costs $11 a night (in my tent) and has everything I might need (which is basically a well-equipped kitchen and reasonably clean bathroom).
Well, I had better leave it there for now, as my time on the computer is almost up (and blogger has been causing me no end of troubles on this computer - I'm not even going to attempt to spell check). I'll try and make further updates later in the week, although there is so much to see and do in Sydney that I am finding it difficult to curtail my wanderings and stay indoors on the computer. I clearly need to find somewhere more boring to stay!
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